Overview
Are you a qualified physiotherapist working in musculoskeletal practice and looking to take your career to the next level? Maybe your role involves assisting patients who require rehabilitation after surgery or sporting injury, or perhaps you work with individuals who have a disability or long-term condition that limits their functional level.
This course in advanced clinical practice of musculoskeletal rehabilitation is designed for physiotherapists who wish to further develop their skills and expertise as an advanced or specialist clinical practitioner across a range of musculoskeletal (MSK) healthcare settings here in the UK and abroad.
On this course, you’ll gain advanced clinical reasoning skills in assessment and evidence-based management for the treatment and rehabilitation of MSK patients, presenting within various clinical settings. You’ll be taught the latest theory, science and principles behind MSK practice, which will give you a broad, yet in-depth, understanding of evidence-based rehabilitation approaches and how these can be used to treat patients with musculoskeletal conditions.
Our master’s degree will also develop your cognitive skills, such as writing skills, which are important in clinical practice to enhance communication with other clinicians, allied healthcare personnel, and for research.
You’ll be encouraged to be creative in your thinking, as well as enhancing your proficiency in analysis and evaluation - meaning you’ll graduate as a highly competent practitioner, ready to become a leader within your field.
The full master's course can be studied in 1 year part-time starting in September.
For information on Vice Chancellor's Excellence Award which offers £5000 fee reduction for self-funded international students please click here
You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour.
Course content
Your learning will be patient-centred and clinically focused, studying evidence, concepts, and theories related to musculoskeletal practice. You’ll benefit from a course designed to incorporate a multidisciplinary perspective, which is essential when entering leadership roles in healthcare systems around the world.
Throughout the course you’ll be required to think broadly about a range of rehabilitation services, exploring how to improve the care and experience of service users, alongside service provision, in a variety of global scenarios.
On this course, you’ll learn a holistic approach to patient care alongside clinical leadership skills and how to use evidence-based practice and research to make informed decisions that grow your knowledge and expertise.
Your learning will be underpinned by the national Advanced Clinical Practice framework as set out by NHS England (formally HEE), encompassing the four pillars: clinical practice, leadership and management, education and research. You’ll develop the essential skills that are required by advanced clinical practitioners working in the NHS and other clinical settings.
You’ll study a combination of modules consisting of compulsory modules in clinical leadership, teaching and learning, evidence-based practice and research, plus you’ll select from a list of optional modules that define your specialist pathway in musculoskeletal rehabilitation.
Compulsory
- PH5603 - Quantitative Methods and Design for Health Science Research
In this module we aim to develop your critical understanding of quantitative clinical research methodology and the principles of how to use clinical evidence to constructively inform your practice. This means developing skills and knowledge of quantitative research methods and design, understanding data and how to analyse and interpret it and learning how to critically appraise published research.
- PH5604 - Qualitative Research in Health and Social Care
This module aims to critically explore, reflect upon and develop qualitative research skills and knowledge in health, and to explore qualitative approaches in research in the context of their philosophical, societal, and cultural underpinnings and use in clinical settings.
In additional to theoretical perspectives, through online lectures and interactive workshops you will be introduced to and practice different methods of collecting data and data analysis.
You will learn how to evaluate the quality of qualitative research and consider aspects such as ethics, power, reflexivity and the role of co-construction. This is made relevant to research projects but also service evaluations, quality improvement projects and practice.
- Study mode: Part-time.
- 0900-1200 face-to-face. 1300-1600 online
- Wednesdays (2024) - 25th September, 9th October, 23rd October, 6th November and 20th November.
- MCQ Jan 2025
- PH5612 - Advanced Clinical Leadership
This module aims to develop advanced knowledge, skills, qualities and behaviours of leadership for clinical healthcare professionals working in a range of roles in healthcare settings in the NHS. This knowledge and skills literacy will nurture and enhance existing team-working skills and clinical leadership requirements in order to evidence advanced level skills.
Indicative content includes principles of clinical leadership, leadership theories and change management. Effective team working, partnership working and communication will be explored alongside service development tools including service co-design.
Click here to watch the video about this module
Process analysis will support your understanding of how to audit and measure systems and identify and track change.
Weds 0900-1200 face to face, 1300 - 1600 online
2025: Jan 29th, Feb 12th, Feb 26th, March 12th
- PH5615 - Learning and Teaching in Advanced Clinical Practice
Click here to watch the video about this module
This module aims to provide practitioners with advanced knowledge and skills for the planning, organisation, delivering, teaching and evaluation of effective programmes for clinical training in specialist practice.
Current research and theory underpinning the educational process which support a challenging and supportive teaching and learning environment for clinical practice will be explored aiming to enhance practitioners’ individual ability to critically appraise and augment their skills, knowledge and actively contribute to the education awareness for members of their healthcare team, patients, service users and carers.
Note: Students must currently be in practice and have formally identified and entered an agreement with a mentor and/or supervisor for the learning-in-practice elements of this module, prior to commencing the module.
Mondays 0900-1200 face to face, 1300-1600 online
2025. Jan 20th, Feb 3rd, Feb 17th, March 3rd, March 17th
- PH5611 - Dissertation
Term 1
Fridays 0900-1200 online
2024 - Sept 27th, Oct 18th, Nov 8th, Nov 29th
Term 2
Monday 0900-1200 dual delivery
2025 - Jan 27th, Feb 3rd, Feb 24th, March 3rd
Optional
- PH5624 - Pain: Contemporary Science and Practice
In this module, students will engage with contemporary pain science and up-to-date principles of management for the person in pain. The module is designed for clinicians working with people with pain in any clinical setting.
It aims to improve students understanding of pain science and management and help to better embed this knowledge into everyday practice. Students will look at the issue of pain from multiple perspectives, including knowledge from neurobiology, psychology and epidemiology and other disciplines.
Throughout, there will be a focus on developing clinical skills that can be embedded into practice.
Thursdays 0900 - 1600 online
2025 - January 30th, February 13th and 27th, March 13th
Assessment essay April 2025
- PH5625 - Contemporary Theory and Clinical Application in Musculoskeletal Practice: The Lower Quadrant
This module aims to develop advanced critical understanding of the current theory and science of current lower quadrant musculoskeletal practice, and to develop advanced examination and intervention skills for the management of patients with lower limb, and lumbo-pelvic (lower quadrant) musculoskeletal conditions.
Indicative content includes epidemiology, aetiology, pathology and pathophysiology of lower quadrant conditions. Complex clinical reasoning skills will be developed through consideration of advanced diagnostics and evidence based rehabilitation and health promotion approaches.
Thursdays 1400- 1700 online
2025 - Feb 6th, Feb 20th, March 6th, March 20th
- PH5626 - Contemporary Theory and Clinical Application in Musculoskeletal Practice: The Upper Quadrant
This module aims to develop advanced critical understanding of the current theory and science of current upper quadrant musculoskeletal practice, and to develop advanced examination and intervention skills for the management of patients with upper limb, cervical and thoracic (upper quadrant) musculoskeletal conditions.
Indicative content includes epidemiology, aetiology, pathology and pathophysiology of upper quadrant conditions. Complex clinical reasoning skills will be developed through consideration of advanced diagnostics and evidence based rehabilitation and health promotion approaches.
Thursdays 1400- 1700 online
2024 - October 3rd, 17th, 31st and November 14th
- PH5648 - Science of Rehabilitation and Movement
This module examines the science underpinning effective rehabilitation and exercise prescription relevant to advanced clinical practice. There will be a focus on the science of strength and conditioning, physiological adaptation to exercise in multiple systems and motor learning.
This will include principles of exercise dosing and the evidence underpinning the effectiveness of approaches to exercise prescription in both prevention and rehabilitation of cardiovascular diseases and health more broadly. Students will be introduced to the tools used to measure various aspects of movement and performance.
The module will consider the full spectrum of activity from the inactive to the higher functioning individual.
Fridays 0900-1600 dual teaching
Oct 4th, Oct 18th, Nov 1st, Nov 15th
This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.
Please note that all modules are subject to change.
Read more about the structure of postgraduate degrees at Brunel
Careers and your future
Career Prospects for Advanced Professional Practice Graduates
Following successful completion of this advanced practice programme, you will be fully prepared for a leadership role as an advanced practitioner in your relevant clinical profession (e.g. nursing, occupational therapy or physiotherapy) and within your clinical specialism.
Our graduates typically go on to senior clinical leadership positions within a range of healthcare settings, with many gaining prominent positions to pioneer service development at regional, national or international levels.
With increasing global demand for advanced practitioners, our graduates enjoy excellent employability and opportunities for career advancement. This master's will give you the relevant knowledge and skills to step into these positions. Designed to meet the needs of global healthcare organisations and employers, our graduates have excellent prospects in the UK and internationally, making them sought-after professionals in their preferred countries.
This programme is ideal for senior clinicians and clinical leads who are looking to take their clinical career to the next level, or in a new direction into management and service innovation, or academic research and education.
Professional Registration
To register as a healthcare professional in the UK you will need to hold a relevant pre-registration qualification. Though the MSc APP is not considered a pre-registration programme and therefore does not provide direct eligibility to register as a healthcare professional in the UK, the programme may be used alongside your international pre-registration qualifications to support your application for registration.
If you are seeking to register as a healthcare professional in the UK we recommend that you contact the relevant regulator for your profession to explore the current requirements. For allied health professionals (AHPs) information on international applications to the Health and Care Professions Council can be found on the HCPC website.
For nurses and midwives, more information on international applications to the Nursing and Midwifery Council can be found on the NMC website.
Rights to Work in the UK for International Students
International students graduating from this programme who hold UK professional registration may be eligible to apply for a Health and Care Worker Visa that provides the right to work within the UK healthcare sector. This visa also provides the right for dependants to come to the UK and exemptions from UK health insurance surcharges.
Further information about the current benefits of the Health and Care Worker Visa and rules for applying can be found at the UKVI website.
Information on further visa options is available on our Post Study Work Options webpage.
UK entry requirements
2025/6 entry
- Hold a pre-registration degree in a relevant allied health profession, be currently employed in the clinical speciality you wish to apply for and have the following relevant experience as a minimum:
1. Students currently working in the UK - At least 1 year of post qualification clinical work experience in the specialism they have applied for.
2. Students currently working outside of the UK – At least 2 years post qualification clinical work experience, ideally including at least 1 year in the specialism you have applied for.
EU and International entry requirements
If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list. This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.
English language requirements
- IELTS: 7 (min 6.5 in all areas)
- Pearson: 64 (59 in all subscores)
- BrunELT: 68% (63% in all areas)
- TOEFL: 98 (min 23 in all areas)
You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our English Language Requirements page.
Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our Brunel Language Centre.
Please check our Admissions pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.
Fees and funding
2025/26 entry
UK
£12,125 full-time
More information on any additional course-related costs.
Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.
See our fees and funding page for full details of postgraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.
Scholarships and bursaries
Teaching and learning
You’ll benefit from the expertise of academics across our well-established health sciences department, giving you a truly interdisciplinary perspective on important topics. Many of our academics currently work in hospitals and other clinical settings, so they'll be teaching you up-to-date scientific knowledge and patient assessment and management skills.
Our lecturers are active in research and often contribute to the development of professional guidelines, so you know you’re being taught by practicing healthcare professionals with a high profile in the sector. You’ll also be able to benefit from studying alongside other healthcare professionals in similar fields, giving you the opportunity to network and share ideas.
Our teaching approach is diverse and you’ll benefit from lectures, tutorials, seminars, and workshops.
Assessment and feedback
The course uses a range of flexible and engaging approaches to assessment. You'll be assessed through exams, critical essays, portfolios, oral presentations and your dissertation.
The choice of the specific type of assessment will be appropriate to the intended learning outcomes of the taught modules. The assessment strategies will balance the need to demonstrate knowledge and competencies with more in-depth and critical approaches to learning.
Such assessment approaches will include examinations, presentations of relevant clinical case scenarios, and coursework, which will take the form of critical assessment of literature and research, critical essays, and the development of the selected portfolio of learning.
Finally, the dissertation provides demonstration of an ability to synthesise and critically evaluate current research underpinning clinical practice, and to develop and undertake relevant research, as well as its dissemination.
Read our guide on how to avoid plagiarism in your assessments at Brunel.
